Just had a leaflet through the letter-box, soliciting old clothes to raise money for a "breast cancer prevention programme". When I Googled the company whose name is at the bottom of the sheet - W&W Help Ltd - I found this news item, among others:

RESIDENTS have been warned not to leave old clothes out for a collection company due to be wound up tomorrow. W&W Help Ltd has distributed leaflets to homes in Darlington asking for donations of unwanted clothes, which the company claims will be sent to the developing world.

"I have contacted Trading Standards and the Companies Investigation Branch. It will be an offence if they actually collect tomorrow." Local borough councillor Cyndi Hughes has discovered that the company is to be dissolved for financial irregularities, and has urged residents not to offer donations. "The leaflets were circulated at the end of last week in my neighbourhood asking that people put old clothes out for collection to help the needy," she said."I have checked the company out on the Companies House website and the company is to be dissolved on (Tuesday) March 24. "I have contacted Trading Standards and the Companies Investigation Branch. It will be an offence if they actually collect.

"I am sick and tired of these collection companies taking advantage of the good and trusting nature of the residents of Darlington." The leaflet features a picture of a small child dressed in a monkey costume, under the heading "Clothing colleection (sic)."

The note adds: "Your donations are sent to the Third World countries to help clothe the poor."

W&W Help Ltd has headquarters in North Woolwich, London. The only contact available for the company is a private email address. No-one from the firm was replying to queries by email last night. Anyone with concerns about collection leaflets is asked to call the Consumer Direct helpline on 0845-404-0506

The company does confirm in its leaflets that it is 'Limited' and therefore a business, not a charity.

There is every chance they will start again in another office, somewhere else in the country. There are hundreds of similar ventures that sell on the waste clothes to other companies for the value of the fabric, many run for less than a year but have the same names in the driving seat when they set up again under a different name.

Easy way to check crediblity is at the bottom of any leaflet, if it has no charity number, then you are dealing with a business attempting to make a profit.